1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toothbrush, more particularly to a foldable toothbrush having means for selectively dispensing toothpaste to the bristles of the toothbrush.
2. Description of Related Art
Folding toothbrushes are well known in the prior art for providing a convenient way for travelers to carry toothbrushes, so as to be able to practice dental hygiene when not at home. Folding the toothbrush results in a more compact storage size whereby the toothbrush can be easily stored in a desk, pocket or purse. U.S. Pat. No. 2,110,461, issued May 12, 1937 to Chibnik, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,033,022, issued Jul. 16, 1912 to Kress, both teach folding toothbrushes having a handle that functions as a storage space for the bristle holding portion of the toothbrushes. The bristle holding portion of the toothbrushes are folded into the handle for storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,750, issued Jun. 30, 1981, shows a self-contained toothbrush wherein a toothpaste container is stored within the hollow handle of the brush and removed to apply the paste to the bristles of the toothbrush.
It is also known in the prior art to include a measure of toothpaste with the toothbrush for further convenience to a user. A fountain toothbrush is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,369, which issued Jul. 23, 1985 to Adams. The fountain toothbrush of Adams has a piston driven by an adjustable screw cap that forces toothpaste stored in a piston chamber within the handle through passages in the toothbrush leading to the bristles in the head of the toothbrush.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,107, issued Jan. 17, 1995 to Nian, a foldable toothbrush is disclosed wherein the brush head is folded into a storage space in the handle of the toothbrush. The toothbrush of Nian also has a piston chamber having an opening adjacent to the bristles of the toothbrush head when the brush head is folded into the storage position. An adjustable screw mechanism having a threaded rod and turning knob moves a piston in the form of a circular disc within the piston chamber to extrude toothpaste into a bristle and toothpaste-receiving storage space in the handle of the toothbrush.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.